“Sir, Bosun Rork presents his respects and has a message for you, sir!”
White was alongside in their ship’s boat and calling up to the captain. Wake reluctantly lowered the glass and nodded at White as the lugger started to diminish in the distance, sailing downwind toward the other ship still approaching.
“Sir, Bosun Rork says to tell ya that there was a fella named Saunders, said you’d know the one, sir, who’s on that limey schooner when we’s boarded her. Said ta tell ya, sir, that the Saunders fella and two others, a negra an’ a limey fella, jumped inta a boat an’ rowed like hell over to the froggy navy ship. Did it afore we knew it, sir. Couldn’t stop ’em, sir. Bosun Rork looks powerful mad about it, sir. Said he knew the bastard too, an’ thought he was dead. Said he was a Reb runner ya got once down in Havany.”
Though he already knew all of this, Wake suddenly felt exhausted.
“Very well, White. Did the bosun say anything about the men you did manage to capture? And what about the ship? Any cargo?”
“Aye, sorry about that, sir. I was gonna get ta that part of it. Bosun Rork wants ya ta come see what’s aboard of her. Says there’s mun . . . munitions, I thinks it is, sir. Guns an’ the like. Said you’d be pleased on that!”
Wake looked around his ship. McDougall and the gun crew were still at quarters and ready to fight. Others in the crew, like Mason, were still armed with long guns. Each of them appeared confused at what was transpiring and were looking at Wake. He didn’t blame them. He wasn’t sure at all himself what was happening.
Feeling forty years older, he lowered himself down the side and into the boat in the rough seas. White’s crew rowed him over to where Rork stood waiting for him. The bosun helped him board the schooner. Rork looked as tired as Wake felt. His appearance reminded Wake that they were down to about two casks of water.
“Welcome, sir. Guess you know by now. That bastard John Saunders was aboard her an’ got away in the boat. Didn’t know in time to stop ’em, sir. By the time we saw ’em, they were up to that Frenchy lugger sir, an’ the lads surely would’ve hit her if we’d fired. Decided you’d not want that kind o’ war started, sir! Sorry as hell, sir.”
“All right, Rork. What did you find on her? White was saying something about guns.”
“Aye, guns there are, sir! We made the jackpot o’ the derby here, sir! They’re all laid out below in munitions crates, jus’ as pretty as you please. Limey scum here was takin’ ’em into Florida so’s the Rebs could kill some more o’ us. Arrogant limey pile o’ dung who says he’s the captain got quiet when we found them beauties, sir. He’s as silent as a whore in church now, sir!”
“Please tell about the men found aboard her.”
Rork told about the seven men left in the crew who were on deck when he captured the schooner. Four were British Bahamian citizens with their papers, two were probably Cuban, and one sounded like a rebel American. None resisted. The Cubans and American had no papers. Rork had not had time to search the vessel yet, what with all the confusion.
“Rork, is there any water aboard her?”
“No time ta see yet. We’ll look an’ see right now, sir.”
A search of the Wendy, for that was her real name, revealed that she had ten casks of water stowed in her hold, next to the guns. An excited howl went up from White when he found and counted the casks. Rork made him check each one for purity. They all seemed potable. Yelling the news over to the St. James produced cheers in reply. For the first time in several days Wake felt as if they could make it out of this predicament in good shape.
By this time the sun was starting to descend, but still two or three hours from its set. Even with the drifting from being hove to, the two ships were still several miles off the Mexican coast. Wake decided it was time to get off this coast and sail away before the French got any ideas regarding infringement of their sovereignty and returned. Wake called Rork and White to him at the stern of the prize and gave his orders.
“Rork, you are appointed the prize master. Keep five men with you to sail her. Now, first, get the prisoners over to the St. James. I want them shackled on the main deck. Next, get some water over there. We all stay on short rations. After that, I want you ready to sail. We need to leave before the French get ideas. Can you jury-rig that mains’l?”
“Captain, we’ll get her sailin’ straight away, quick as a rabbit from the hounds.”
“Very good. Oh, and search the cabins and every space for any intelligence immediately. I want everything accomplished by sunset. As soon as all that’s done, we set sail to the nor’east and Cabo San Antonio. Any questions?”
Neither petty officer raised any.
“Then let’s get things done here and get away from this damned coast and those Frenchies!”
Rork nodded his head in agreement. “Aye, sir. We’ll get that done in a pig’s wink! You’ll be lookin’ good ta the high Admiral himself when ya bring in this darlin’ as a prize to Key West. Not ta mention the fine bit o’ prize money she’ll fetch on her sale.”
Exhausted as he was, Wake had to smile at the optimism of his bosun. “Rork, right you are. Now all we have to do is actually get there!”
***
Wake had seen the island of Key West come over the horizon many times during his year
